Cash-for-cans support ramped up

Bianca Perez27 May 2014, 2:03 p.m.

LOCAL environment groups visited Smithfield MP Andrew Rohan last week to push for a cash-for-cans scheme for NSW.

Cash for cans: Ian Kiernan and local supporters Pip Rey, Lisa Wriley and Charles Gream outside Andrew Rohan's electoral office are urging the state government to support a 10 cent refund scheme for bottles and cans.Picture: Gene Ramirez

LOCAL environment groups visited Smithfield MP Andrew Rohan last week to push for a cash-for-cans scheme for NSW.

Clean Up Australia chairman Ian Kiernan said governments, including NSW, had been examining a 10 cent refund scheme for bottles and cans for over 10 years.

"Our supporters are sick of waiting and it's time for the government to stand up and be counted," he said.

"NSW members of parliament need to hear the message urgently and strongly with 84 per cent of the public supporting the refund scheme to clean up our environment."

He and supporters of the scheme called on Mr Rohan, the Premier Mike Baird and Environment Minister Rob Stokes to act quickly.

"Victoria has said it will work with NSW to implement a cash-for-containers scheme so we should get on with the job of ending billions of containers being dumped in landfills or littered," Mr Kiernan said.

"The NSW government should ignore lobbying by Coca-Cola and its allies and its greenwash money for more bins."

The national convener of the Boomerang Alliance, Jeff Angel, said a cash-for-containers scheme would create thousands of jobs and millions of dollars for charities and sports groups as well as a new investment in recycling facilities.

Mr Rohan said the state government recognised that packaging waste was a major problem for the environment and communities.